Conducting Empirical Research With Older Migrants: Methodological and Ethical Issues

This special section brings together a set of four articles containing novel quantitative and qualitative research on older migrants in Europe. Detailed reporting and reflection is presented on fieldwork decisions and how certain challenges were tackled, and their implications. This introductory article aims to lay the groundwork for a better understanding and awareness of methodological and ethical challenges researchers face when designing and conducting empirical studies involving older migrants. Highlighted are the main methodological issues and ethical dilemmas we observe in studying older migrants, which can serve as a wake-up call for researchers to be more critical throughout the process. We end with a plea for more collaboration between researchers in the field of older migrants, by sharing their data despite potential methodological and ethical problems.

Automated summary

This special section includes four articles that present novel quantitative and qualitative research on older migrants in Europe. The articles provide detailed reporting and reflection on fieldwork decisions and how challenges were addressed. The aim of the introductory article is to enhance understanding and awareness of the methodological and ethical challenges faced by researchers in designing and conducting empirical studies involving older migrants. The article highlights the main methodological issues and ethical dilemmas observed in studying older migrants and calls for more collaboration among researchers in sharing data despite potential methodological and ethical problems.